Maine deadline passes for public funding

AUGUSTA, Maine — The deadline’s passed for Maine legislative candidates to turn in their paperwork for public campaign funding through the Clean Election Act.

Wednesday was the deadline for candidates to show they had met qualifications for campaign funding. There were no figures on how many House and Senate candidates had qualified, but it could be a lot if this year’s participation is consistent with past patterns.

In the 2008 general election, 81 percent of the legislative candidates participated in the Maine Clean Election Act.

To qualify, candidates must demonstrate community support by collecting a minimum number of checks or money orders of $5 or more. Qualifying candidates cannot accept private contributions for their campaigns.